Raspberry shortbread macarons
This Sunday me and my husband celebrated out first year of marriage. We had a wonderful party on Saturday and, in my opinion, no party is complete without desserts. I made a few different desserts but this macarons were gone in a few minutes.
After making so many macarons I wondered what could I do to make them really special. Lately I experimented with different kings of jellies, which give a macaron a nice freshness and a different bite. The jelly idea is great but I wanted something new. When I want inspiration regarding macarons I always flip through a book from Adriano Zumbo. He has so many unusual combinations and ingredients that it is hard not to find new ideas. His raspberry shortbread macaron caught my eye immediately. It is different and I never tasted a macaron with a shortbread inside.
I changed Zumbos recipe quite a bit, because I had no ingredients for his recipe. I made a shortbread dough that was inspired by a strawberry and caramel tart I made a few days ago. I also added buckwheat flour to the dough to make it extra special.
The raspberry gel was an experiment and it turned out beautifully. I made a jelly with agar-agar and after it was set, I blitzed it with an immersion blender until it was thick and smooth.
The most simple part was the white chocolate ganache, which is basically just white chocolate and some heavy cream.
After a day in the fridge the macarons tasted amazing, the shortbread was soft and buttery and it complemented the raspberries really well. I must say that this macarons are definitely one of my favorites I have ever made.
It just goes to show that the macarons are truly versatile and you can let you imagination free when making them.
When the jelly is fully set place it in a food processor or preferably in a bowl for your immersion blender and blitz until you have a thick and smooth gel.
Add a small amount of water it the gel is to thick. Pour in a squeeze bottle or in a piping bag and set aside.
Making white chocolate ganache:
Pour the cream in a small sauce pan and place on medium heat.
Meanwhile chop the white chocolate in small pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl.
When the cream is very hot (but not boiling) pour it over the chocolate in three additions, stirring after each addition. Add salt and stir until the ganache is creamy and without lumps. Place in the fridge to set.
Making shortbread:
Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and process to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the pastry looks like coarse bread crumbs.
Transfer the pastry to a floured surface and knead until it comes together (try not to knead to much).
Shape the pastry into a disc and wrap in plastic foil. Place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 210°C (410°F) and place the rack in the center of the oven..
Roll the pastry directly on the parchment paper or silicon to 2mm thick.
Bake the shortbread for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool. Cut the shortbread in small pieces and store in an airtight container.
Making the macaron shells:
The preparation for the shells is the same as in the Basic macarons recipe.
After you piped all the macarons add a pinch of pralines if using.
Bake in the preheated oven at 150°C (302°F) for 15 minutes. Let the macarons cool completely, if the macarons are still sticky at the bottom return them to the oven and bake more.
Assembly:
Pipe the white chocolate ganache around the edges of a macaron shell. Pipe over a small amount of raspberry gel. Place a small piece of shortbread in the middle.
Pipe a small dollop of ganache on the shortbread and place a matching shell on top.
Store them in the fridge in an air-tight container. Wait 24 hour before eating them (if you can).Waiting or "maturing" allows the flavors to come together and the macarons will become soft and extremely flavorful.
After making so many macarons I wondered what could I do to make them really special. Lately I experimented with different kings of jellies, which give a macaron a nice freshness and a different bite. The jelly idea is great but I wanted something new. When I want inspiration regarding macarons I always flip through a book from Adriano Zumbo. He has so many unusual combinations and ingredients that it is hard not to find new ideas. His raspberry shortbread macaron caught my eye immediately. It is different and I never tasted a macaron with a shortbread inside.
I changed Zumbos recipe quite a bit, because I had no ingredients for his recipe. I made a shortbread dough that was inspired by a strawberry and caramel tart I made a few days ago. I also added buckwheat flour to the dough to make it extra special.
The raspberry gel was an experiment and it turned out beautifully. I made a jelly with agar-agar and after it was set, I blitzed it with an immersion blender until it was thick and smooth.
The most simple part was the white chocolate ganache, which is basically just white chocolate and some heavy cream.
After a day in the fridge the macarons tasted amazing, the shortbread was soft and buttery and it complemented the raspberries really well. I must say that this macarons are definitely one of my favorites I have ever made.
It just goes to show that the macarons are truly versatile and you can let you imagination free when making them.
Raspberry shortbread macarons
(Makes about 35)
Time:
Preparation: 50min
Resting: 30min
Baking: 30min
Setting: 2 hours
Baking: 30min
Setting: 2 hours
Cooling: 20min
Assembly: 20min
Assembly: 20min
For the shortbread:
- 16g buckwheat flour
- 49g all-purpose flour
- 17g icing sugar
- 56g cold butter (cut in cubes)
- a pinch of salt
- 200g frozen raspberries (can use fresh)
- 1/2 teaspoon agar-agar
- 12g lemon juice
- lemon zest from 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoon sugar (I used 1 white and 1 brown)
- 1/2 teaspoon raspberry vodka (optional)
- 150g white chocolate
- 70g heavy cream
- a tiny pinch of salt
For the macaron shells:
- 95g room temperature egg whites
- 125g granulated white sugar
- 40g water
- 135g almond flour or finely ground almonds
- 135g icing sugar
- 10g praline (for garnish, I used pralines from here)
Place the frozen raspberries in a small pot and cook gently until boiling. Blend the raspberries with a stick blender or food processor until smooth. Pour the mixture in a pot through a sieve, discard the leftover seeds.
Add the liqueur (if using), sugar, lemon juice and zest and place the pot back on the medium heat.
Add agar-agar, stir and boil the mixture 2-3 minutes. Pour the jelly in a heat-proof container and set aside to cool completely.
After it has cooled down place in the fridge for 2 hours or until fully set.
Add the liqueur (if using), sugar, lemon juice and zest and place the pot back on the medium heat.
After it has cooled down place in the fridge for 2 hours or until fully set.
When the jelly is fully set place it in a food processor or preferably in a bowl for your immersion blender and blitz until you have a thick and smooth gel.
Add a small amount of water it the gel is to thick. Pour in a squeeze bottle or in a piping bag and set aside.
Making white chocolate ganache:
Pour the cream in a small sauce pan and place on medium heat.
Meanwhile chop the white chocolate in small pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl.
Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and process to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the pastry looks like coarse bread crumbs.
Preheat oven to 210°C (410°F) and place the rack in the center of the oven..
Roll the pastry directly on the parchment paper or silicon to 2mm thick.
Bake the shortbread for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool. Cut the shortbread in small pieces and store in an airtight container.
Making the macaron shells:
The preparation for the shells is the same as in the Basic macarons recipe.
After you piped all the macarons add a pinch of pralines if using.
Bake in the preheated oven at 150°C (302°F) for 15 minutes. Let the macarons cool completely, if the macarons are still sticky at the bottom return them to the oven and bake more.
Assembly:
Pipe the white chocolate ganache around the edges of a macaron shell. Pipe over a small amount of raspberry gel. Place a small piece of shortbread in the middle.
Store them in the fridge in an air-tight container. Wait 24 hour before eating them (if you can).Waiting or "maturing" allows the flavors to come together and the macarons will become soft and extremely flavorful.
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